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"That wouldn't be fair, not including Mum, Doctor," Rose complained, settling on the jumpseat, hands resting on an abdomen just beginning show her pregnancy.
The Doctor glanced at her across the console. He immediately shifted his eyes back to the instruments, but it was too late. She'd already seen the disgruntlement in his eyes. He huffed, "Rose, I just wanted it to be us. We'll have to share her every time we visit earth. Any time we pick up Jack...."
"And how often does that really happen? Come on, I want her to see the scan, too. I don't want her to just look at a picture we show her after the fact. Doctor, really. It's what I want."
The Doctor rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. Of course Rose would get what she wanted, she always did. "Fine, Rose," he mumbled. "Although we could record it on a disc and....." Rose shook her head. "....and nope. Okay."
Rose hopped up, as best she could, and came around to his side of the console. She squeezed him around the waist and rested her head on his back. "Thank you, love," she murmured.
"Oh, now I feel bad for bein' churlish," he groused. She moved around to face him, putting her arms around his neck, drawing him down for a tender, sweet kiss.
"You know you'll have us all to yourself most of the time. This will make Mum so happy."
"Happy mother in law, happy life, or some such," he added.
"Well, 'happy wife, happy life,' but I'm sure Mum would agree with you," Rose laughed.
"Next stop, Powell Estate, I suppose."
She grinned, poking her tongue out of the corner of her mouth. The Doctor couldn't resist smiling back. "Gonna see our precious girl soon, so can't really complain, can I?"
"Prob'ly will," she mimicked in a passable Northern accent.
"Oh, now you're just pushin' it, Rose Tyler."
*******
The squeal Jackie emitted when she was invited to the Rose's scan was bat-like in frequency and only served to set the Doctor's teeth on edge. He very nearly rescinded the invitation, but the radiant look of pure joy on Rose's face kept his mouth shut. He supposed the elation evident on Jackie's face might have also had something to do with it as well.
Still, excitement didn't keep Jackie from questioning everything. "Is this safe? I mean, shouldn't she be doing this with a midwife or something? At the hospital? You're delivering the baby? How will that work?"
"Like it usually does," he grunted.
"But you're the dad. You're supposed to be holdin' her hand and all. That's what Pete did, till he just about passed out when she crowned.
What if you pass out? Who the hell will help my daughter then?"
The Doctor appeared affronted, and Rose rolled her eyes. "Mum, that's not gonna happen! And you know we can't go to a regular hospital. She's not fully....human! They'd have a field day. You saw what happened when that ship crashed into Big Ben."
"I am putting Rose and the our baby's safety first, Jackie. Don't ever doubt that," the Doctor stated, and for a brief second, Jackie saw the Oncoming Storm in his blue eyes.
"Would you like to see the baby now, Mum?" Rose asked, hoping to smooth over the tension.
"I would," Jackie said. She glanced at the Doctor again, wondering if she was still invited.
"Then let's go now, yeah?" Rose requested, linking her arm through his. She smiled up at him, and that seemed to diffuse some of his tension. Jackie followed along behind them, temporarily silenced.
*****
The three of them gathered in the TARDIS infirmary. Rose climbed up onto the exam table. "The TARDIS scans me all the time just to check things out, but this is the first time we'll have a really great picture. It'll be like a photograph, he tells me."
"I know they have those scanners now, that show all the details..."Jackie began.
"This is better," the Doctor interrupted. "And safer, if you're wonderin'."
"I suppose you know what you're doin'," Jackie commented.
"I do," he stated flatly. He pulled the sonic from his pocket. "And no cold gel on your belly for this, aren't you lucky." When he addressed Rose, his entire demeanor changed. He pointed the sonic at a screen above the exam table, then indicated that Rose should pull up her top.
Rose raised her loose fitting top over her belly. Before starting the scan the Doctor placed his hand on the small bump, smiling at Rose. She covered his hand with hers briefly. "I wanna see our girl, Doctor," she murmured.
That roused Jackie from her silence. "How are you two so sure it's a girl? That's all you've ever said, 'she' this and that. How do you know? The TARDIS tell you that too?"
"Nope, she's keepin' that a surprise, 'til today," the Doctor answered.
"We have a bond with the baby so we just...know. You said you always had a feelin' I'd be a girl, right?"
"I suppose," Jackie said. "I still ain't bought any pink. You never know. Louise thought she was havin' a Sophie Hannah and she ended up with a Sebastian Harold. Bought all that pink. Made him wear some of it, anyway, since it was monogrammed...."
"Well, we just have a sense," Rose interrupted before her mother could start rambling. "And we'll know for sure. Ready, Doctor."
"Been ready all day," he groused. Rose squeezed his hand, smirking.
The Doctor fiddled with the settings on the sonic, then waved it carefully over Rose's belly, like an ultrasound wand. At first the screen was full of static, but before Jackie could register a complaint, the baby's face appeared on the screen.
Rose gasped and clutched at the Doctor's hand, and the Doctor himself was rendered speechless at the sight of the little face.
The baby's eyes were closed, the little mouth pursed into a Cupid's bow. Tiny hands opened and closed.
"Beautiful. That's my beautiful grandbaby," Jackie breathed.
Jackie's voice seemed to rouse the Doctor from his trance. "Let's check things out," he spoke, a slight tremor to his voice. He moved the sonic around, sighing with relief as he looked. "Looks great, Mummy, and....yeah, we have a precious girl. For certain."
"Oh, that's a clear picture. I'll buy the pink," Jackie gasped. The Doctor couldn't help chuckling.
Rose began to laugh and cry at the same time. The Doctor kissed her, careful to keep the sonic in place. He focused on the baby's face again.
"Got your nose, love. She's beautiful," the Doctor marveled. "So beautiful."
Rose tore her eyes away from the screen long enough to see the tenderness in her Doctor's eyes, and the tears ready to fall. "Love at first sight," she whispered. She laughed and wiped tears from her own eyes.
"'I've loved her since we discovered we were expectin' her," he affirmed. "But actually gettin' to see that gorgeous little face....fantastic!"
"Well, I don't know what you're on about. She looks perfectly human to me," Jackie announced, arms crossed.
"You look Time Lord. We were first," the Doctor informed Jackie. Her eyes widened.
"How Time Lord is she, Doctor?" Rose asked.
He looked at the readout and moved the sonic around. "Binary circulatory system," he answered. "Like we expected." Rose nodded.
Before her mother could speak, Rose told her, "She has two hearts, like the Doctor."
"And you knew that would happen? Two hearts?" Jackie looked baffled again and Rose was beginning to regret insisting that she come along.
"Superior physiology," the Doctor said by way of explanation.
"Oh really? Listen to himself," Jackie scoffed.
"Do you see why we can't go to a hospital, Mum?" Rose asked, hoping to distract her mother from making any more snarky comments.
Jackie frowned, brow furrowed. "This is makin' my head swim," she muttered.
The Doctor looked as though he was about to comment, but was silenced by Rose's glance in his direction.
"Mum, it'll be fine. We'll all be fine."
"It's just that it's really real now. I could pretend my daughter and her husband are havin' a baby and all is fine. But really, you live in a....space ship. My granddaughter has two hearts and can't be born in a hospital..... I'm scared for you. All three of you," Jackie blurted, shooting a look in the Doctor's direction.
"Mum, please. I know. I get it. I wish you weren't frightened. We'll be okay. Let's just focus on her," Rose begged.
"Rose is right. I don't want her upset. Changin' the subject," the Doctor stated flatly. He looked back up at the screen where their daughter was wriggling around restlessly.
"If you can feel her...can she feel you? Like if you're upset?" Jackie asked, watching the baby.
"She can get an impression of it," the Doctor said shortly. "Any baby can, not just her. She just feels it stronger because of our bond. So yeah, she feels it."
Jackie gaped and looked up at the screen.
"It's okay," Rose assured her. "I'm fine." She reached for her mum's hand. Jackie took it, squeezing.
The Doctor kept his eyes on his daughter, giving the Tyler women their privacy.
Their daughter had calmed, innocent and serene, safe in Rose's womb. The Doctor's thoughts were chaotic as the anxiety for Rose's and the baby's wellbeing threatened to overwhelm him. Jackie's words had shaken him, since he too had let himself pretend that this was all normal, like catching a cab at two a.m. He wondered just what he'd gotten her into, if she wouldn't have been better off never meeting him.
Immediately he felt a wave of love envelop him over their bond. He glanced back at Rose, momentarily taken aback by a flash of gold he saw there. He heard a familiar voice in his mind. ~Don't underestimate us, Doctor. Together, a team, always. All three of us.~
And immediately he felt another wave of guilt for upsetting her. She sighed, exasperated. "Just look at 'er, Doctor," she murmured, refocusing his attention on the screen.
The picture of her face was so clear, and he could see her expressions changing. For a second she looked so like Rose it took his breath away. How could he have ever thought Rose would be safer, better off without this? That he would have been better off wandering alone, burning through regenerations? No, he's wouldn't have missed this for the world. He wasn't alone anymore. The love he felt from their bond calmed and warmed him. He was vaguely aware that tears had come to his eyes again and he didn't particularly care if Jackie noticed.
Jackie was staring at the Doctor. She saw the tears in his eyes, the soft smile on his face and tears filled her own eyes. She knew in that moment they'd both do their best for their daughter.. It might not happen the way she envisioned, they would keep her safe. She looked back up at the screen and saw that her granddaughter had figured out how to get her thumb to her mouth.
"She's a genius!" Jackie exclaimed.
"Well, yeah," the Doctor agreed, rolling his eyes, making Rose laugh. They watched the baby kick out a little leg.
"Oh, I felt that," Rose gasped.
"Genius and strong, too," the Doctor grinned. They laughed as the baby began to wiggle and kick animatedly. Rose grabbed his free hand and held it over where she could feel their daughter moving. "Fantastic!" he laughed. Without thinking he grabbed Jackie's hand and placed it nearby. Jackie looked shocked until she felt a strong kick. She began to laugh as well.
********
The Doctor printed off pictures for them and Jackie before they left the infirmary. "I can show these? Mo and Shireen know you're pregnant and I just know they'd love to see."
"And you'd love to brag," Rose snickered.
"Well, of course. That's my girl."
"Obviously, keep the...sensitive information to yourself. But feel free to show the picture of her gorgeous little face around," the Doctor advised with a grin.
"Jack would love one of these," Rose announced. "And the Brig. And Sarah Jane."
"There's Christmas cards sorted," Jackie chuckled, laughing outright when she saw the Doctor's eyes widen.
"I can't wait to feel her in my arms. To really see and touch her," Rose sighed.
"Same here," the Doctor murmured.
"Nothin' like it in the world, holdin' your own. I still remember what it felt like to hold you....how you'd always grab the collar of my top and hold on. The weight of your little head on my arm....."
"Really, you still remember all that?" Rose asked.
"Vividly," Jackie said.
"That's muscle memory," the Doctor interjected.
"Do you remember what it was like...." Rose began, and the Doctor shook his head.
"Never actually held them that way. She'll be my first," he said, shaking his head. Rose wrapped an arm around his waist and squeezed.
"Think of that, Jackie Tyler has one up on me in life experience. That doesn't happen often...or ever." he cracked.
Jackie rolled her eyes. "Yeah, just you remember that, you plum. You might know all, but there's still some advice this gran can give."
"We'll be sure to call at half two when we can't get her to sleep and need that advice," he added.
"You really think I'd mind? Just you remember, I'll always want to see her. Don't you take her away to space and then bring her back sixteen years old. I'd better not miss anything." Jackie shot him a look and he realized there was more than one Oncoming Storm in this family.
Then he realized he thought of her as family. Mother-in-law...Christmas card pictures....he might get as well catch a cab at two a.m., because this was his life now.
He nodded. "You have our word," he answered.
"Right, then, thank you for havin' me along for this, but I have a date with Howard and I need to get ready." Jackie kissed Rose's cheek, then looked pointedly at her son-in-law.
He paled. Apparently there were some domestics he couldn't handle yet. He waved goodbye awkwardly, making Rose giggle. Jackie pulled him into an even more awkward one-armed hug, snickering. Then she left the TARDIS without another word.
Rose sighed. "Well, I'm starvin' and knackered. How about you?"
The Doctor nodded in agreement. "I really don't see how a newborn could be more exhausting than your mother."
*******
When Rose came out of the ensuite in her pajamas, the Doctor was already under the covers, sitting up against the headboard.
He was holding the baby's picture, smiling. So was Rose when she crawled under the covers with him. "Proud dad, you," she grinned.
"That'd be me," he agreed.
"She's beautiful. We did that!" Rose pointed at the picture with a tongue touched smile. The Doctor chuckled happily. "I could never have imagined that meeting up with you and some shop dummies would result in this."
"Last thing I was expectin'," he nodded.
Rose lay on her side, encouraging the Doctor to rest beside her. She caressed his cheek tenderly and kissed his forehead. "Doctor, I picked up on some....feelings from you today."
He averted his eyes and nodded. There was no point in lying when she could feel it through their bond.
She encouraged him to look back at her. "Please don't. Don't ever think that I would have been better off never meeting you. I know what Mum said worried you. But I couldn't imagine my life without you and our baby."
He murmured, "Couldn't imagine my life without the pair of you."
"And Mum would still have a million questions and worries if we were a typical human couple. That's just Mum. We'll worry about this little one just as much."
"Can't deny I've brought some unusual circumstances into your life, though," he argued.
"And I've brought domestic situations into your life, and you know that's just as scary," Rose said with a smirk.
The Doctor burst out laughing. "Point taken." He rolled over onto his back, groaning. "Wore me out, your mum did."
Rose snickered, "But you managed not to strangle her, anyway. Proud of you, love."
"Was a pretty close call," he muttered. "I think I handled myself with excellent restraint."
Rose snorted. "That you did." She plucked the picture out of his hands, rolling to her side. The Doctor spooned up behind her. He kissed her neck, then propped himself up to look at the picture with her. He rested a hand on her belly and immediately felt a flurry of nudges. "She knows her daddy's there."
"She's already runnin'," he smiled. "Get a lot of practice in, precious girl." He kissed Rose's neck again. "I regretted thinkin' you'd be better off without me almost instantly, y'know."
"Then you proceeded to feel guilty for thinkin' it. You exhaust me as much as Mum does. I love you. I want you. I'm happy to be your wife. I wouldn't want children with anyone other than you. So...stop it. Stop with the talkin' and worryin'...." She turned her head to look back at him. The angle was awkward but she forged on anyway. "In fact, I think I could use some nonverbal communicatin' right about now."
"Could use some too. Thought you were knackered, though."
"At this stage of the game horny, hungry and knackered go hand in hand," she snorted.
"It'd be foolish to let that go to waste," he decided. His hands were already beginning to wander. She hummed happily.
The Doctor rolled to his back and encouraged his wife to straddle him. She leaned down to snog him senseless. He proceeded to show her nonverbally exactly how happy he was to be her husband, leaving no doubt in Rose's mind.